This is a re-post from two weeks ago. Who would have thought this mini-tribute would suddenly join legions of others?
Anybody associated with comedy in any capacity naturally acknowledges the profound breadth, influence, ability and genius of George Carlin. His has been a long and varied career, and with any artist whose work spans multiple decades, eventually people forget what that person's career was like at the start if they knew about it at all.
George Carlin was originally a member of the comedy team Burns and Carlin with the very funny Jack Burns. When the two split up, Burns persued acting and would replace Don Knotts on The Andy Griffith Show as Mayberry's new deputy. Burns eventually found success in the seventies with Avery Schreiber in the comedy team Burns and Schreiber, and was also the primary director of The Muppet Show. He also attacked Andy Kaufman on that famous episode of Fridays. Carlin, of course, followed a solo path that took a fascinating few years to come to fruition.
After splitting with the world of comedy teams Carlin struggled to find his voice as a solo performer. He was an impressionist for several years and a very, very good one. To this day there are no other mimics who have mastered a Mort Sahl or Lenny Bruce that I know of. Both of Carlin's vocal impressions of the two comedians whose footsteps he follows in are bang on. Listen to Carlin's impersonation of Mort Sahl off the only comedy LP of Burns and Carlin (pictured) here. There has recently been a sudden influx of early George Carlin stuff on YouTube and that's what I'm sharing today.
George Carlin as mystery guest on What's My Line (1969)
Jimmy Durante introduces George Carlin on The Hollywood Palace (1966)
George Carlin on The Merv Griffin Show (1965)
George Carlin on the obscure game show The Game Game (1969)
George Carlin on Playboy After Dark (1970)
George Carlin on The Mike Douglas Show (1972)
George Carlin's acting debut: That Girl (1966)
George Carlin with The Doors and The Committee on The Smothers Brothers (1968)
George Carlin and Flip Wilson on Johnny Carson (1971)
Another Carlin appearance on Carson (1972)
And a great new "classic Carlin" YouTube channel here.
George Carlin was awful.
Posted by: jhn | June 01, 2008 at 01:37 AM
He's still alive!
Posted by: Listener Kliph | June 01, 2008 at 06:31 AM
Great post! As an aside, were Burns & Schreiber both in "My Mother the Car"? I seem to remember the "Huh-yeah-huh-yeah" bit in that show....As a little kid I thought it was hilarious.
Posted by: Dale Hazelton | June 01, 2008 at 07:47 AM
>George Carlin was awful.
He was funny in the context of the culture at the time. But he raised the game when he decided he wasn't going to shill comedically for that culture anymore. And THAT's when we got GEORGE FUCKIN' CARLIN.
Posted by: Listener James from Westwood | June 01, 2008 at 08:26 AM
R.I.-F'n-P.
Posted by: Jonny | June 23, 2008 at 03:48 AM
last of the 'three'? famous deaths in threes.
tim russert, stan winston and now george carlin.
oddly enough stan and george almost had identical silver ponytails.
i smell an assassination screw-up. they were supposed to hit carlin but took out stan winston on accident- and only tim russert knew about the plan to kill carlin- so he had to go too.
Posted by: wee | June 23, 2008 at 09:52 AM
Cyd Charisse did not have a silver ponytail.
This is the best Carlin quote I've run across this morning, it makes contemporary hay of the Saint Obama sales pitch:
"Don't confuse me with those who cling to hope. I enjoy describing things the way they are, I have no interest in how they 'ought to be.' And I certainly have no interest in fixing them. I sincerely believe that if you think there's a solution, you're part of the problem. My motto: Fuck Hope!
"I am a personal optimist but a skeptic about all else. What may sound to some like anger is really nothing more than sympathetic contempt. I view my species with a combination of wonder and pity, and I root for its destruction. And please don't confuse my point of view with cynicism; the real cynics are the ones who tell you everything's gonna be all right."
Posted by: Bill W | June 23, 2008 at 01:06 PM
I didn't followed his later career but, Carlin in the 70's, that I fondly remember. He could make me laugh. One good thing about comedy, when it hits you, you feel no pain. Thanks for the links.
Posted by: jumboshrimp | June 23, 2008 at 02:09 PM
I enjoyed Carlin when I was in grade school, fun stuff for kids. These days I can't really stand any standup comedy, but then again Carlin seemed to have lost his taste for it as well. Consider this monologue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTfcAyYGg
While I don't agree with everything he's saying, it sure is nice to hear someone stand up and make public statements like this. Cause if you think about it, you just don't anymore.
Posted by: K | June 23, 2008 at 02:24 PM
stan winston? Cyd Charisse? they weren't comedians...
what about Dody Goodman (died on Sunday)?
Now Tim Russert - He was a comedian !
Posted by: stu | June 23, 2008 at 02:53 PM
Looking for a tall blonde black chick in heaven.
Posted by: Brian Turner | June 23, 2008 at 03:21 PM
I recall seeing a billboard for his show at the Orleans a few weeks ago in Las Vegas, and thinking, "Well, I'm already seeing a show in town this trip, I'll catch him on the East Coast." This was one Vegas hunch I should've played.
Posted by: Listener James from Westwood | June 23, 2008 at 08:42 PM
I liked him on Thomas the Tank Engine.
Posted by: Eep | June 23, 2008 at 10:19 PM